ARCADIA, Calif. – The $100,000 stakes on Sunday at Belmont Park and Santa Anita honor Grade 1-winning stars of yesteryear; both drew six entrants. Otherwise, the Gold Fever at Belmont and the Fran’s Valentine at Santa Anita could not be any more different. Three-year-olds race six furlongs on dirt at Belmont in the Gold Fever, named for the 1996 winner of the NYRA Mile. Candy Man Rocket is favored in the Gold Fever, which features a classic handicapping dilemma – class or speed? Cal-bred fillies and mares race a mile on turf in the Fran’s Valentine, named for the 1985 Kentucky Oaks winner. Warren’s Showtime is the class of the Fran’s Valentine field and favored to win a race that sets up for her closing style. The knock concerning Warren’s Showtime – low odds. Let’s look at both stakes. Gold Fever No doubt about the class of this field. Candy Man Rocket won the Grade 3 Sam Davis, a February route at Tampa Bay Downs, then sputtered in two subsequent route races. Trainer Bill Mott told NYRA publicity: “It doesn’t look like his future is going long.” :: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Belmont Park Clocker Report But is he quick enough to go short? Candy Man Rocket is likely to be positioned last early. If the pace is quick, the field’s only stakes winner could loop them all. However, he is listed at 8-5 by linemaker David Aragona. It’s a short price on a pace-dependent closer shortening from a route to a sprint. Beren is speed; “stumbled badly start” provides an alibi for his recent double-digit loss. What the past-performance comment does not resolve is his quality. Beren has won twice, as the odds-on favorite in maiden and allowance races at Parx. It’s tougher at Belmont. From the rail, Beren will be pressured by need-the-lead American Gentleman. If that pair ding-dong, perhaps the race will unfold for Candy Man Rocket. But the pick to win the Gold Fever is inconsistent Roderick. He has run poorly three times and well three times. Perhaps his subpar efforts can be excused by footing – slow and tiring at Del Mar, turf at Keeneland, sloppy at Gulfstream Park. The other three starts, on fast, produced three top races, including a fast third in a stakes and an allowance romp. If the Gold Fever is run on dry land (the last four editions were on a wet track), Roderick enters without an excuse in his second start of the year. He should get a forwardly placed trip, and his 92 Beyer two back tops the field. Perhaps 9-5 is no bargain, even in a small field, but Roderick looks from here like the most probable winner of the Gold Fever. Fran’s Valentine “Class on grass” is the theme of the Fran’s Valentine, which Warren’s Showtime should win at a short price. A multiple statebred stakes winner who finished third in back-to-back Grade 2’s, late-runner Warren’s Showtime drops into a statebred stakes race practically guaranteed to unfold at a fast pace. :: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Santa Anita Clocker Report Warren’s Showtime’s five rivals are all going sprint to route, including front-runners Leggs Galore and Lofty. Kristi’s Tiger and Bella Vita also figure to be forwardly placed. The front end should be crowded. That is fine for Warren’s Showtime. With the temporary rails set at 20 feet, as they are on Sunday, nine of the last 20 turf miles were won from the back of the field. Warren’s Showtime can sit, wait, and blast home as one of the most probable winners on the card, albeit at low odds. Pedigree handicapping From the time she entered training in 2019 at age 2, Warren’s Showtime did everything right. Conversely, full brother Warrens Candy Man (sired by Clubhouse Ride, produced by Warren’s Veneda) did everything wrong. He is still a maiden after nine starts. Thankfully for trainer Craig Lewis and owner-breeders Ben and Sally Warren, a new arrival to the family is another filly. She is 2-year-old Warren’s Showgirl, already taking after her sister. “I don’t know what she is yet, but she’s done everything right so far,” Lewis said. “I’m thinking Del Mar [for her debut].” Warren’s Showgirl is up to a half-mile in her works. Stay tuned. Red-board review Two-year-old Big City Lights won his debut in race 2 last Sunday at Santa Anita by more than 12 lengths, blazing 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.63 seconds. He paid a whopping $3. In the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont, Gibberish made the lead as expected, but the thrill was gone at the head of the lane. Gibberish finished last at 7.90-1. ◗ The quote of the week was a text message sent by longtime California handicapper Mike Superstein. His tongue-in-cheek comment concerned the high effective takeout of single-ticket jackpot wagers: “I refuse to play until the effective takeout is 95 percent.”